In a recent poll in this blog about the most promising specialization fields in civil engineering, the majority of the readers and visitors has chosen water and environment as best area. Structures and transportation issues seem to have a quite shiny future. On the other hand, most have considered that urban planning, construction management and the traditional generalist engineer are clearly the least attractive paths.
Indeed, the sample was not huge and it is based on personal experiences and beliefs but it shows an interesting prediction to keep in mind. All the best for the New Year.
Which specialty has the best future?
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Feliz 2008.
ReplyDeleteI find it a little surprising that "urban planning" is considered not to have a good future. Maybe the point is that "urban planning" is not seen promising as an engineering specialty, but rather as an architectural one.
ReplyDeleteWell, the ASCE considers that urban planning and development is also a field of civil engineering. I think that the key is that the mortgages and loans crisis together with the delocalisation of factories make residential and industrial planning less attractive. The same can be applied to the future of construction managers. In my opinion transportation is more promising than structural&geotechnical engineering but I feel that most of the jobs connected with water supply, resources management, clean energy generation (i.e. wind farms) and optimization of logistics have a bright future.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm aware of the "dispute" between engineers and architects for powers in urban planning. I'm worse informed than you about the market situation for the different engineering specialties. The only reason for my surprise was that here at MIT Urban Planning seems to be an attractive field (they even have a department of their own). Maybe the situation is different in Spain/Europe than in the US.
ReplyDeleteBTW, carrying on with the example of MIT, I can see that the fields you mention have a bright future. Currently, the most prominent focus here is the "MIT Energy Initiative", for research in sustainable energies. We also have the MIT-Zaragoza program, which is all about logistics. And the Environmental Engineering department, focused on water resources, is also doing outstanding moves, such as getting me as a grad student :P
ReplyDeleteWould you acept Finance as a specialty?
ReplyDeleteAssuming that engineers from L'École de Paris are not "normal" engineers, I suppose that finance could be included in transportation, this is, transportation of money :-)
ReplyDeleteOf course engineers from the ENPC are not "normal". The "normaliens" are from l'École Normale Supérieure.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the stupid joke. I couldn't help it.
awesome job.
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